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China gets 'pipeline' to Australia

Australia's major overseas student recruiting agency is expanding its
operations in China in an effort to counter an unexpected decline in
enrolments.

IDP Education Australia signed an agreement with China's Ministry of Education
that will enable Chinese students to take English-language studies at
home.

IDP officials hope that the new university foundation studies programme will
attract thousands of young Chinese as it will give them easier access to
Australian universities.

Last month, the agency revealed that the number of foreign students applying
for visas to study in Australia was down 10 per cent in the first half of the
year compared with 2003.

As well as administering the foundation studies programme, IDP will provide
counselling and application and enrolment services to students interested in
studying in Australia. The agency will also manage the delivery of training
programmes to government employees.

David Shi, director of IDP's China operations, said the Chinese Government
wanted students to have access to high-quality English-language courses before
going overseas to study.

Mr Shi said students who finished high school in China had no hope of achieving
the necessary score on the International English Language Testing System, which
is required to obtain an Australian visa.

"The plan is to locate the foundation programmes in universities across China,"
he said. "These will be operated by an Australian university with experience in
providing these sorts of courses offshore. Students who complete the programme
will have a direct pipeline to Australian higher education."